US3540141A - Repeating mechanism for impact ignition pellets - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17,1910 D. F. BUTLER 3,540,141

- REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMPACT IGNITION PELLETS Filed out 25, 1968 l s Sheds-Sheet 1 t l 1 O N \N i I I i I I i INVENTOR.

DAV/D F BUTLER ATTORNEY Nov. 17, 1910 I REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMIAC'I IGNITION PELLE'I'S Filed Oct] '25, 1968 D. F. BUTLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY NOV. 17, 1970 F, L R 3 ,540,141

REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMPACT IGNITION PELLETS Filed Oct. 25, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 xx & 4 1 J O M l- 1 9 I 4 Q WI a--. Q3 f 4 N A L l/ I" R g Q I I l 5 \e l I x I I l N t INVENTOR DAV/D FBUTLQ? ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,540,141 REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMPACT IGNITION PELLETS David F. Butler, Hamden, Conn., assignor to Olin Mathiason Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Oct. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 770,755 Int. Cl. F41c 13/00 US. Cl. 42-17 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A power actuated device utilizing caseless ammunition and including an ammunition magazine, and an ammunition carrier for transferring individual rounds of the caseless ammunition from the magazine to a position wherein the round is picked up by a bolt and moved into a firing chamber. The ammunition carrier is automatically operated when the bolt is reciprocated after a round is fired.

This invention relates to an explosively actuated device, such as a power tool, firearm, or the like, which device utilize caseless ammunition. The device of this invention includes a magazine containing a plurality of rounds of caseless ammunition, and an ammunition carrier for transferring individual ones of the ammunition rounds from the magazine to a position for pick-up by a bolt. The bolt moves the picked-up round into a firing chamber. The ammunition carrier is automatically operated when the bolt is reciprocated after the device is fired, and the ammunition carrier also serves to protect the rounds in the magazine against flame and hot gasses when the device is fired.

Recent industrial accent has been directed toward the development of explosively actuated devices which utilize caseless ammunition, such as compacted nitrocellulose, or the like, as a source of power. These explosively-actuated devices may be in the form of power-actuated tools for driving nails, studs or the like, or may take the form of a firearm, such as a rifle or a pistol. The substitution of" caseless ammunition for the conventional cased ammunition permits more economical operation, but at the same time, presents certain problems primarily relating to the sealing of the firing chamber when the device is fired. A further problem relating to a caseless device of the character described concerns the provision of an ammunition magazine for the device and the necessity to protect the sensitive ammunition from flame and hot gases when the device is fired.

The device of this invention includes an ammunition magazine which houses a plurality of rounds of caseless ammunition, and which also houses a spring-biased cartridge follower to urge the ammunition rounds toward the mouth of the magazine. A cartridge carrier is disposed adjacent the mouth or" the magazine for reciprocating movement between the magazine and a bolt-containing bore. The carrier operates to transfer individual rounds of ammunition from the magazine to the bore, where the transferred round is picked up by the bolt and moved into a firing chamber. The bolt is operatively connected to the cartridge carrier so that a round is transferred simultaneously with reciprocation of the bolt after the device is fired. The cartridge carrier is spring biased toward the bolt-containing bore so that the carrier normally covers the mouth of the magazine to protect the ammunition. The only time that the mouth of the magazine is uncovered is when the bolt is moved to a retired position after the device is fired.

It is, therefore, and object of this invention to provide an explosively actuated device which utilizes caseless ammunition rounds, and which includes an ammunition magazine for storage of the caseless rounds.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an explosively actuated device of the character described having a cartridge carrier operative to transfer ammunition rounds from the magazine to a position for pickup by a bolt.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an explosively actuated device of the character described wherein the cartridge carrier is operatively connected to the bolt so as to be automatically operated upon reciprocation of the bolt after the device is fired.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an explosively actuated device of the character described wherein the cartridge carrier overlies the magazine mouth when the bolt is in its battery position to protect the stored caseless rounds against flame and hot gases when the device is fired.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevated view of a preferred embodiment of the device of this invention in the form of a power actuated tool for driving nails, studs, and the like into supporting surfaces;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the tool of FIG. 1 showing a caseless round in the firing chamber, the bolt in its battery position, and the firing pin cocked for firing;

FIG. 3 is a side view partially in section showing the tool after firing, with the bolt being rearwardly reciprocated and the cartridge carrier being dropped into position to pick up a new round from the magazine; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional viwes taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 and showing the cartridge carrier as it picks up a round from the magazine and moves the round into position for chambering by the bolt.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the device of this invention in the form of a power actuated tool for driving studs, nails, rivets, or the like, is shown. The tool includes a barrel 2 fitted with a muzzle bushing 4 and connected to a firing block 6. The firing block 6 is secured to a handle portion 8 having a first slot 10 through which a cocking handle 12 extends. A pair of slide arms 14 extend through a pair of slots 16 cut in the handle portion 8. A pair of downwardly extending plates 18 are connected to the firing block 6.

Referring to FIG. 2, the internal elements of the tool are shown in positions prior to firing the tool. An ammunition magazine 20 is mounted in the handle 8 of the tool, the magazine 20 containing a plurality of caseless rounds 22 of ammunition and a cartridge follower 24 biased by a spring 26. The rear end of the magazine 20 is closed by a threaded plug 28, and the forward end of the magazine 20 defines an ammunition feed mouth 30 through which the rounds 2 2 are expelled, one at a time. As shown in FIG. 2, the magazine feed mouth 30 is closed off by an ammunition carrier 32 which is movably mounted in a slot 34 cut into the firing block 6. Each of the plates 18 includes an inwardly directed flange 36 adjacent to the carrier 32 to confine the carrier in its movement.

An L-shaped lever 38 is pivotally mounted on a pin 40 which extends between the plates 18. One arm of the lever includes a laterally extending pin 42 which is slida-bly mounted in a slot 44 cut into each of the slide arms 14. The other leg of the level 38 is bifurcated at 46, with each bifurcation being provided with a slot 48. The lower end of the carrier 32 is also preferably bifurcated, as at 50. A pin 52 is connected to the carrier bifurcations and extends through the lever slots 48 to establish a driving connection between the lever 38 and the carrier 32. A

spring member 54 is mounted on the pin 40 and engages the lever 38 to bias the latter in a counter-clockwise direction. Thus the carrier 32 is biased into its magazineblocking position by the lever 38.

The tool barrel 2 contains a Work piston 56 which is shown in its firing position in FIG. 2. A fastener 58 (shown in phantom) is housed in the muzzle bushing 4 in a position to be driven by the piston 56. The head '60 of the piston 56 is disposed in a restricted bore '62 in the barrel 2 when the piston is in its firing position. A plurality of passages 64 provide fluid communcation between the restricted bore 62 and a firing chamber 66 in the forward portion of a bore 68 in the firing block 6. It is noted that the carrier slot 34 laterally intersects the bore 68. A bolt member 70 is slidably mounted in the bore 68, the bolt member 70 being shown in FIG. 2 in its battery position with a caseless round 22 disposed in the firing chamber 66. A pair of gas sealing grooves 71 or other gas sealing means, such as piston rings are formed on the bolt 70 to insure a gas tight seal between the bolt 70 and the wall of the bore 68. The bolt member 70 includes a pair of laterally extending lugs 72 which extend into respective slots 74 in the firing block 6 to lock the bolt 70 in its battery position.

The bolt 70 is rotatably mounted in a bolt slide 7-6 which reciprocates in a bore 78 in the handle 8. The slide arms 14 and the cocking handle 12 are secured to the bolt slide 76. The bolt 70 includes a laterally extending lug 80 which is disposed in a camming slot 82 in the bolt slide 76. As the bolt slide 76 is reciprocated within the bore 78, the lug 80 and camming slot 82 cooperate to rotate the bolt locking lugs 72 into and out of their respective locking slots 74 in a well known manner.

The bolt 70 houses a firing pin 84 which includes a rearward lateral flange 86. The firing pin 84 has a gas sealing groove 85 formed thereon to seal the bolt bore. A spring, member 88 is mounted in the handle 8 and bears against the firing pin 84 to urge the latter toward a fired position. As shown in FIG. 2, the firing pin 84 is retained in a cocked position by a sear 90 which engages the pin flange 86. The sear 90 is pivoted about a pin 92 and is curved around the magazine 20. The lower end of the sear 90 is connected to a trigger 94 by means of a pin 96-. The trigger 94 includes a slot 98 containing a post 100 and slot 98 combining to retain the trigger 94 in place while permitting the same to be actuated. A spring 102 is mounted in the handle 8 in contact with the trigger 94. The spring 102 biases the trigger 94 forwardly, and also biases the sear 90 in a clockwise direction about the pin 92.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge carrier 32 is urged by the lever '38 into a position to block the mouth 30 of the magazine 20 when the bolt 70 is in its battery position. Thus the carrier 32 serves to protect the ammunition rounds 22 from flame and hot gases generated when the tool is fired.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the manner in which the carrier 32 operates to transfer a fresh round into position to be chambered is shown. After the tool is fired, the cocking handle 12 is grasped and moved rearwardly to slide the bolt slide 76 rearwardly through the bore 78. The initial rearward movement of the bolt slide 76 causes the bolt 70 to rotate and unlock the locking lugs 72. Further rearward movement of the bolt slide 76 carries the bolt 70 and firing pin 84 back through the bore 78 until the pin flange 86 is engaged by the sear 90. The rearward movement of the bolt slide 76 causes the slide arms 14 to move rearwardly also, and the lever pin 42 is engaged by the end wall of the slide arm slots 44. This engagement between the pin 42 and slots 44 plus further rearward movement of the slide arms 14 cause the lever 38 to pivot in a clockwise direction about the pin 40 and against the bias of the spring 54. This pivotal movement lowers the arms 46 which in turn drops the cartridge carrier 32 to a cartridge pickup position, shown in FIG. 3. In the cartridge pickup position, the carrier 32 is clear of the magazine mouth 30, and the foremost round 22 in the magazine 20 is forced out of the latter onto the top concave edge of the carrier 32. The plate flanges 36 serve to insure that the round 22 remains on top of the carrier 32 by blocking the round 22 from further movements. (See FIG. 4.) After the firing pin flange 86 has engaged the sear 90, the bolt slide 76 is moved forwardly in the bore 78 by means of the cocking handle 12.

FIG. 4 shows the carrier 32 in its cartridge receiving position, also shown in FIG. 3. As the bolt slide 76 is returned to its original position, the bolt 70 moves toward its battery position. Also the end walls of the slide arm slots 44 move away from the lever pin 42, and the spring 54 returns the lever 38 and carrier 32 to their respective original or pellet feeding positions. The carrier 32 moves the round 22 upwardly through the slot 34 and into the bore 68 before the bolt 70' passes by the slot 34, as clearly shown in FIG. 5. Thus the round 22 is moved into the bore 68 and is picked up by the closing bolt 70' and carried forward into the firing chamber 66. It is thus apparent that the cartridge carrier is operative to protect the ammunition remaining in the magazine when the tool is fired, and yet the carrier will operate to transfer a round from the magazine to the firing block bore automatically when the bolt is reciprocated after firing the tool. When the magazine is empty, it can easily be removed and replaced with a filled one Prior to firing the chambered round, the piston 56 is returned to its firing position, as shown in FIG. 2. This may be accomplished in a number of known Ways, either automatically or manually simply by inserting a new fastener into the muzzle bushing bore.

It will be readily appreciated that the device of this invention is of a rugged, yet simple construction while providing dependable performance. The provision of a magazine Lfor the caseless ammunition permits the device to be used with greater ease and greater speed since no manual loading of ammunition rounds is necessary. The device of this invention also permits smooth transfer of ammunition from the magazine to the firing chamber which takes place automatically upon reciprocation of the bolt. Furthermore, adequate protection of the comparatively sensitive ammunition housed in the magazine is provided by the ammunition carrier which blocks the mouth of the magazine when the device is fired.

Since many changes and variations of the disclosed embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the inventive concept, it is not intended to limit the invention otherwise than as required by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An explosively actuated device for use with caseless ammunition, said device comprising:

(a) a firing block having a single bore defining a firing chamber at one end thereof, said firing block further including an ammunition feed slot intersecting said bore at a point spaced apart from said firing chamber;

(b) bolt means slidably mounted in gas sealing engagement with said firing block bore, said bolt means being slidable between a battery position adjacent to said firing chamber, and a retired position remote from said firing chamber;

(0) locking means operative to lock said bolt means in said battery position;

(d) a bolt slide mounted on said bolt means and movable therewith;

(e) an ammunition magazine having a mouth communicating with said ammunition feed slot;

(f) carrier means mounted in said ammunition feed slot, said carirer means being movable between a pickup position adjacent said magazine mouth and a feeding position adjacent said firing block bore, said carrier means overlying and blocking said 6 magazine mouth when the former is in it feeding (j) spring means connected to said firing pin to bias position; the latter toward its fired position; (g) biased lever means drivingly connected to said (k) sear means operative to engage said firing pin to carrier means, said lever means being operative to retain the latter in said cocked position; and urge said carrier means toward its feeding position; (1) trigger means connected to said sear means, said and 5 trigger means being operable to release said sear (h) at least one slide arm means secured to said bolt means from engagement with said firing pin.

slide and drivingly connected to said lever means, said slide arm means being operative, upon move- References Cited ment of said bolt means toward its retired position, 10 UNITED STATES 1p ATENTS to drive said lever against its bias and cause said. lever to drive said carrier means to its pickup posi- 3/1924 Pedersen 42 17 7/1965 Turner 897 2:31 rglaoraegiegge a caseless ammunition round from 3,330,108 7/1967 Kvavle et all 3,474,560 10/1969 Ramsay 42-17 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) a firing pin slidably mounted in gas sealing en- SAMUEL W ENGLE Primary Examiner gagement With said bolt means, said firing pin being movably between a cocked position and a fired posi- Us CL tion, said cocked position being reached by movement of said bolt means to its retired position; -261; 89*7, 33; 227-10

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